Furniture construction

ABSTRACT

THE INVENTION RESIDES IN A SET OFF PARTS FOR ASSEMBLING INTO AN ARTICLE OF FURNITURE, AND AN ARTICLE OF FURNITURE SO CONSTRUCTED. THE SET OF PARTS COMPRISES A FRONT COMPONENT, A BACK COMPONENT, TIE BARS FOR CONNECTING SAID FRONT AND BACK COMPONENTS IS SPACED RELATIONSHIP, GROOVES IN SAID FRONT AND BACK COMPONENTS, AND END PANELLS FOR BEING RECEIVED AND LOCATED IN SAID GROOVES.

July 4, 1972 1;. H. ROBINSON FURNITURE CONSTRUCTION Filed March 4, 1970 INVENTOR: GEORGE HENRY ROBINSON RTTO RNEYS United States Patent Ofice 3,674,327 Patented July 4, 1972 US. Cl. 312-457 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention resides in a set of parts for assembling into an article of furniture, and an article of furniture so constructed. The set of parts comprises a front component, a back component, tie bars for connecting said front and back components in spaced relationship, grooves in said front and back components, and end panels for being received and located in said grooves.

This invention relates to furniture construction, more particularly, although not exclusively, to the construction of kitchen furniture units and like articles of furniture, and has for its object to provide a set of parts for assembling into an article of furniture, which may readily be erected by unskilled or semi-skilled persons in a minimum of time, and which when dismantled may be packed with its component parts lying flatly one upon the other thereby to afford an economy in space during transport and storage.

According to the invention, a set of parts for assembling into a rigid article of furniture comprises a front component, a back component, tie bars or rods for releasably connecting said front and back components in spaced relationship, grooves in said front and back components, and end panels for being received and located in said grooves.

In a particular embodiment of the invention at least two pairs of fixing brackets are provided in opposed relationship on said front component and said back component, and said tie bars have angled ends for engaging in sockets of said fixing brackets thereby to hold said front and back components in spaced relationship whereby said end panels may be located in the provided grooves of said front and back components.

Preferably, said tie bars also function as a supporting means for a shelf or shelves and for the base closure or bottom for the article of furniture.

The complete article will of course also comprise a suitable top, e.g. a work top, a counter top, a sink unit, or the like, as also doors or/ and drawers and other fittings.

The invention also includes within its scope an article of furniture when constructed from a set of parts as referred to.

The invention is further described with the aid of the accompanying more or less diagrammatic drawings which illustrate by way of example only one embodiment of same.

Referring to said drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of a kitchen furniture unit constructed from a set of parts according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the unit with its work top removed, and

FIG. 3 an end elevation with an end panel removed.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail of the part ringed in FIG. 2, and

FIG. 5 is an exploded view in perspective of a fixing bracket and the angled end of a tie bar for engagement therewith.

Referring to said drawings, the numeral 1 denotes the back component, and 2 the front component of a kitchen furniture unit which also comprises a pair of doors 3 hingedly attached to the component 2 and provided with handles 3a, two end panels 4, a counter top or working surface 5, drawers 6, runners 7 for said drawers 6, a shelf 8 and a plinth 11.

The back component 1 consists of a frame, which may or may not include a closure panel, and the front component 2 a frame defining the door openings of the unit. Said front component 2 may be provided with the doors 3 already fitted, or said doors may be provided for separate fitting.

The components 1 and 2 are each formed at each vertical edge (as shown most clearly in FIGS. 2 and 4) with a groove 12, and are provided with fixing brackets I10 having sockets 10a. The brackets 10 are secured in predetermined positions by means of screws entered through provided screw holes 10b of said brackets.

Said components l1 and 2 are adapted to be connected firmly one to the other in spaced parallel relationship as shown by means of metal tie bars or rods 9 having angled ends 9a for engagement in the sockets 10a of the brackets 10, the length of said tie bars 9 being such that when said front and back components 1 and 2 are connected by the tie bars or rods 9, the end panels 4 may be slidably located in the grooves 12.

Conveniently, the rods 9 are arranged as shown so as to function as transverse support means for each end of the shelf 8 and for a bottom 13 of the unit. Said shelf 8 and bottom 13 when fitted in operable position co-act with the tie bars 9 in the formation of a rigid furniture structure.

The drawers 6 may be of conventional box design, hav ing a front piece 6a flush with the doors 3. Said drawers 6 are slidably supported in this instance upon the runners 7 secured at each end to the back and front frames l1 and 2 through the medium of screws entered into preformed holes of the parts. If desired, however, said runners 7 may be replaced by tie rods similar to the tie rods 9 and arranged to function as slides for engaging in the runways of the drawers.

It will be seen that the erection of an article of furniture from parts as described is extremely simple in that it is merely necessary to connect the back and front components 1 and 2 by means of tie bars 9, slide the end panels 4 into position within the grooves 12, locate the shelf 8 and bottom 13 on the tie bars 9, and connect the top 5 and plinth 1J1 as by screws entered through preformed holes. Dismantling of a unit for storage or transport may as readily be effected.

It will also be clear that the invention lends itself readily to the production of articles of furniture of a wide variety of sizes and types.

I claim:

1. An article of furniture comprising a furniture front component, a furniture back component, grooves being provided in said front and back components adjacent each of their vertical edges, brackets attached to said front and back components and having sockets, said front and back components being positioned with the grooves and brackets of one component facing those of the other component, tie bars each ha'vmg angled end portions with each end portion detachably inserted in a different one of said sockets and with said tie bars spacing said components apart, end panels each detachably inserted in opposing grooves of said components, a bottom, at least two pairs of said brackets being attached to a portion of said components corresponding to the level of said bottom thereon, said bottom being supported on the tie bars connected to said two pairs of said brackets, at least one shelf, at least two pairs of said brackets being attached to a portion of said components corresponding to the level of said shelf and said shelf being supported on the tie bars connected to said two pairs of said brackets.

2,. An article of furniture as claimed in claim 1 includ- 4 ing at least one drawer, at least two pairsof said brackets being attached to a portion of said component corresponding to the level of said drawer and said drawer being slideably supported on the tie bars connected to said two pairs of said brackets.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 535,081 3/1895 Schwartz 312-257 X 2,806,755 9/1957 Glass 312-257 SK 2,992,442 7/1961 Lehmann et a1. 1'82'179 X 3,071,206. 1/1963 Kristen 182-152 3,347,610 10/1967 PilliOd 3l2140 X PAUL R. GI LLIA'M, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X-R. 

